It could be questioned why officials of U.S. Synchronized Swimming even bothered to hold an Olympic trials Sunday in duet competition. Everybody knew the winners would be the twins from Bristol, Conn., Sarah and Karen Josephson. Since the 1988 Olympics, where they won a silver medal, there hasn't been another American duet that compares.

From the moment they first tumbled into the same chlorine pool together, Karen and Sarah Josephson were synchronized swimmers. They had no choice in the matter. There was no other way around it. Karen was born on Jan. 10, 1964, in Bristol, Conn. Seven minutes later, so was Sarah. Today, Karen stands 5-foot-4, smiles a lot and wears her bright red hair in a short bobbed cut. So does Sarah.

Tracie Ruiz has been serving an internship at a Seattle television station. Candy Costie has been playing in celebrity tennis tournaments and trying to market a family-recipe bread. Both retired last summer after Ruiz, considered the best ever in her sport, won an Olympic gold medal in the synchronized swimming solo competition and combined with Costie to take the duet gold. They still give exhibitions to promote their sport, but they didn't necessarily take the United States' dominance in synchronized swimming with them when they retired from competition.

It could be questioned why officials of U.S. Synchronized Swimming even bothered to hold an Olympic trials Sunday in duet competition. Everybody knew the winners would be the twins from Bristol, Conn., Sarah and Karen Josephson. Since the 1988 Olympics, where they won a silver medal, there hasn't been another American duet that compares.

Mike Powell, the world record-holder in the long jump, received the 1991 AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award as nation's outstanding amateur athlete Monday night. Powell jumped 29 feet 4 1/2 inches in breaking Bob Beamon's 23-year-old record and ending Carl Lewis' 65-meet victory streak at the World Championships in Tokyo in August. "The feeling I had in breaking the world record was a dream," Powell said in his acceptance speech. "And it is still a dream.

Canada's Carolyn Waldo led with 100.833 points after the completion of the six figures in synchronized swimming Thursday at the World Swimming Championships. U.S. champion Sarah Josephson was second with 97.567 points. Waldo entered today's solo competition as the solid favorite. She won the silver medal in the 1984 Olympics and swept three gold medals in solo, duet and team events at the World Cup last year.

From the moment they first tumbled into the same chlorine pool together, Karen and Sarah Josephson were synchronized swimmers. They had no choice in the matter. There was no other way around it. Karen was born on Jan. 10, 1964, in Bristol, Conn. Seven minutes later, so was Sarah. Today, Karen stands 5-foot-4, smiles a lot and wears her bright red hair in a short bobbed cut. So does Sarah.

Tracie Ruiz has been serving an internship at a Seattle television station. Candy Costie has been playing in celebrity tennis tournaments and trying to market a family-recipe bread. Both retired last summer after Ruiz, considered the best ever in her sport, won an Olympic gold medal in the synchronized swimming solo competition and combined with Costie to take the duet gold. They still give exhibitions to promote their sport, but they didn't necessarily take the United States' dominance in synchronized swimming with them when they retired from competition.

Joan Benoit-Samuelson, who set a world best of 2 hours 21 minutes 21 seconds in the America's Marathon in Chicago last year, was named the winner of the Sullivan Award Monday night as the U.S. Amateur Athletic Union's top athlete for 1985. Benoit-Samuelson, 28, of Freeport, Me., became only the seventh female winner in the award's 56-year history. Last year's Sullivan Award winner, diver Greg Louganis, presented the award to Benoit-Samuelson at a dinner at the Indianapolis Convention Center.

Carolyn Waldo collected her third gold medal at the World Swimming Championships Wednesday when Canada held off a determined challenge by the United States to win the synchronized team title. Already winner of the solo and duet events, the 21-year-old from Beaconsfield, Quebec, completed her collection of gold medals when the American team failed by 0.4 of a point to overhaul the Canadian total. With the race swimmers enjoying a rest day, the synchronized event provided the only final.